Whitlam Ministers

Whitlam Government Ministers

The achievements of the Whitlam Government were not the work of one man alone, but of a team of ministers. 32 men served in the Whitlam Government between 1972 and 1975.

Below is a list of these men, and the various ministries that they held.

The unusually large number of ministries held by Gough Whitlam and Lance Barnard is explained by the fact that for the first two weeks of the Whitlam Government, the two men formed a ministry of two, known as the 'duumvirate'. During this time the two enacted as much significant reform as possible that did not require legislation. When the election results of every seat were finalised, the full ministry of 27 ministers was then elected by the Labor Party caucus on December 18th, 1972. Fred Daly, who was appointed Minister for Services and Property commented "I wouldn't care if he'd made me Canberra dog-catcher. As long as I'm in".

The Whitlam Government was unique in that all of its ministers were members of the cabinet.

Gough Whitlam and Lance Barnard (here shown in 1969) made up the 1st Whitlam Ministry or 'duumvirate'

The 2nd Whitlam Ministry, shortly after being sworn in

The 3rd Whitlam Ministry

* Lance Barnard - Deputy Prime Minister - Minister for Defence - Minister for Supply - Minister for the Army - Minister for the Navy - Minister for Air - Postmaster-General - Minister for Labour and National Service - Minister for Social Services - Minister for Immigration - Minister for the Interior - Minister for Primary Industry - Minister for Repatriation - Minister for Health - Minister for Northern Development

* Lionel Bowen - Special Minister of State - Postmaster-General - Minister for Manufacturing Industry - Minister Assisting the Prime Minister - Minister Assisting the Prime Minister in matters relating to the Public Service

* James McClelland - Minister for Labour and Immigration - Minister for Manufacturing Industry - Minister Assisting the Prime Minister in matters relating to the Public Service

* William Morrison - Minister for Defence - Minister for External Territories - Minister for Science - Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence - Minister Assisting the Minister for Foreign Affairs in matters relating to Papua New Guinea - Minister Assisting the Minister for Foreign Affairs in matters relating to the Islands of the Pacific